Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has linked any future agreement with the United States to an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. His position places Lebanon, Hezbollah support and Israeli withdrawal at the centre of Tehran’s conditions as regional diplomatic efforts continue.

Iran-US peace conditions

In a statement posted on X, Khamenei said Iran would require the protection of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the complete end of Israeli aggression before accepting an agreement intended to conclude what Tehran describes as an imposed war with the United States.

The Mojtaba Khamenei peace terms signal that negotiations between Washington and Tehran may depend on developments outside Iran itself. By making Lebanon a formal condition, the Iranian leadership is connecting bilateral diplomacy with the wider conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah.

Khamenei did not present a detailed negotiating timetable or explain how the condition would be implemented. His remarks nevertheless suggest that Tehran will resist separating its talks with Washington from Israel’s military presence and operations in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah support in Lebanon

Khamenei also reaffirmed Iran’s political and strategic support for Hezbollah and praised the group’s fighters, former leader Hassan Nasrallah and communities in southern Lebanon.

He described the defence of Hezbollah as a strategic responsibility for the Islamic Republic. The statement reflects Iran’s long-standing view that the Lebanese movement forms an important part of the regional alliance Tehran calls the resistance front.

His message was issued in response to an expression of allegiance from Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and the organisation’s members. Khamenei said continued resistance remained necessary and praised the group for maintaining its position during the conflict.

The language is likely to reinforce concerns that Hezbollah’s military status will remain a major obstacle in negotiations involving Lebanon, Israel, Iran and the United States.

Israel withdrawal dispute

The latest remarks come as Lebanon continues to accuse Israeli forces of conducting military operations in the south despite existing ceasefire arrangements.

The Lebanese army said Israeli forces had carried out shelling, demolitions, bulldozing and gunfire in several southern areas. It argued that these actions were delaying the army’s deployment, obstructing residents from returning home and preventing the restoration of stability.

Lebanon has also accused Israel of obstructing security handovers in designated pilot areas where Lebanese troops were expected to assume control. Israel’s withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament remain deeply contested issues, with Tehran and Hezbollah rejecting attempts to make one conditional on the other.

Lebanon ceasefire pressure

United Nations officials have repeatedly warned that continuing hostilities threaten Lebanon’s sovereignty, civilian safety and the ability of state institutions to extend authority across the country.

At a June 2026 Security Council meeting, UN officials called for compliance with the ceasefire and stressed that the Lebanese government must be able to exercise control over its territory.

The UN has also documented extensive projectile fire and escalating military activity between Lebanon and Israel. However, casualty totals and violation counts can change quickly and should be attributed to the relevant governments or UN agencies rather than presented without a clear source.

Khamenei’s intervention adds another layer of pressure to diplomatic efforts. It indicates that Tehran may refuse a limited Iran-US settlement unless Washington can also influence Israel’s actions in Lebanon.

That demand raises a practical problem: the United States can pressure Israel, but it cannot guarantee an immediate end to every Israeli operation or independently resolve disputes over Hezbollah’s weapons. As a result, tying all issues together may strengthen Iran’s negotiating position while also making a final agreement considerably harder to achieve.